Chapter 86: I Love You (Finale)

With one hand’s nails still untrimmed, Xu Xiangyi’s phone buzzed—his partner calling about a multinational project. He temporarily set down the nail clipper, stood up, and shifted to his daughter Zhiyi’s left side, ready to continue trimming her nails.

The call would likely take some time; a deep discussion could stretch over an hour.

“Hold on for a moment,” Xu Xiangyi said, turning to Zhiyi. “Daddy’s going to take a call in the study. I’ll be right back to finish your left hand.”

Zhiyi gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up, her eyes urging him to hurry.

On the other end of the line, his partner couldn’t believe it. “You’re still trimming your daughter’s nails? Are you serious?”

As he ascended the stairs, Xu Xiangyi chuckled, “Nail trimming is my job. She can’t do it; if she tries, it’ll come out all crooked.”

“Just fix it afterward! I can’t believe it wouldn’t turn out right!”

Xu Xiangyi burst into laughter, cutting off the conversation as he climbed higher.

With her father gone, Zhiyi’s mother picked up a flower basket and headed to the back garden to arrange flowers in a vase. The living room now held just ZhiYi’and her older brother. At that moment, someone entered from the yard.

Jiang Sixun walked in as casually as if he were returning home; no one was waiting to greet him. In the past, Zhiyi would call out to him from afar when she saw him approach, but she hadn’t done that in two years.

Zhiyi picked up the nail clipper, pretending to trim her nails.

“Remember when I called you and you said you were halfway here? A fifteen-minute drive turned into an hour! Next time, just don’t drive; you could have crawled here faster!” her brother, Xu Hang, remarked.

Jiang Sixun casually draped his suit jacket over the back of the sofa behind ZhiYi’and glanced at Xu Hang. “You’ve crawled before?”

“…”

Xu Hang’s frustration turned to mockery as he shot back at his sister, “With that kind of attitude, how can he possibly be a boss? Why would you even want to intern with him?”

Zhiyi was about to chime in when Jiang Sixun interjected, “I offered her a high salary to join me.”

As he spoke, Jiang Sixun handed Zhiyi three pieces of handmade chocolate, simply wrapped in paper with no box. “I arrived late, and this was all that was left.”

“Thank you!” Zhiyi said, taking the chocolate, her fingertips accidentally brushing against his palm. So, he had gone the extra mile, taking an hour detour just to get her favorite handmade chocolate.

Jiang Sixun took a seat beside her and glanced at her left hand. “Why hasn’t Uncle Xu trimmed your nails?”

Zhiyi quickly unwrapped a piece of chocolate, taking a small bite. “Dad got called away in the middle of trimming.”

“Let me help you,” Jiang Sixun offered, reaching for the nail clipper on the coffee table.

Zhiyi hesitated, a rush of emotions swirling in her as she wondered how to respond.

For half a second, she glanced sideways at him just as he happened to look over.

Their gazes silently crossed in the air, a moment suspended in time.

Without saying a word, she offered him her left hand and continued to savor her chocolate.

Jiang Sixun lightly grasped her delicate fingers, as slender as green onions, and began to trim with care.

The tips of their fingers brushed against each other, creating a subtle, electric connection.

With each snip, strength enveloped the softness, and Xu Zhiyi felt her heart race as she finished the bittersweet chocolate.

When they were younger, he had also trimmed her nails. Back then, she hadn’t understood much; she would lean against him, asking endless questions, and suddenly declare, “Brother, I want to cut your nails too!”

“You can’t cut,” Jiang Sixun had replied.

“But I’ll learn!” she insisted.

“Alright,” he had said, placing his hand in hers to practice, and she ended up cutting it like a dog had chewed on it.

Now, however, there was a serene silence between them, one so profound that even her breathing felt restrained.

Her internship at Yuanwei Capital wasn’t because he had lured her with a high salary; she had submitted her resume herself, and after passing through the filters, it eventually landed in his hands.

That evening, he called her, simply asking, “Are you coming to my team?”

Her response had been a single word: “Okay.”

The chocolate piece quickly vanished in her mouth.

With chocolates from others, she might indulge in just one, but with his, she could devour two without feeling overwhelmed.

She reached for another piece, struggling to unwrap it with one hand while her left hand was still held by him. In a playful solution, she used her mouth to assist.

Jiang Sixun turned to see her biting into the packaging. “Let me help you with that,” he said, placing her left hand on his lap to free up one of his hands for assistance.

Together, they managed to peel off the chocolate wrapper.

At their age, they weren’t siblings by blood, yet the act of him trimming her nails while her hand rested on his lap carried an unspoken tension that hung in the air.

Xu Zhiyi quickly bit into a piece of chocolate, attempting to mask the storm of emotions swirling within her.

“Not bitter?” Jiang Sixun asked, observing her intently.

She shook her head. “The kind you bought isn’t bitter at all.” She almost blurted out the words “not bitter” directly, but hesitated and added a couple of extra words instead.

“Let me try some,” he said.

But this piece had already been bitten into by her.

“There’s another piece,” Xu Zhiyi said, reaching to grab the last piece to unwrap for him.

“No need,” Jiang Sixun replied. “Save that one for tomorrow.”

His eyes suggested that he simply wanted to try the piece she held in her hand.

With her heart racing wildly, Xu Zhiyi brought the chocolate to his lips, feeling as though the next second would hold something transformative.

Her heart raced, and her eyes flitted aimlessly until they finally landed on the exquisite vase beside him, adorned with bright golden flowers.

She had expected him to take just a small bite, but to her surprise, he bit down on the remaining large piece of chocolate, including the part she had already tasted, and devoured it.

His expression remained calm as he continued to trim her nails.

Xu Zhiyi felt her cheeks warm, and soon her ears flushed crimson.

Across from them, Xu Heng had only replied to a few messages, but when he looked up, he found Jiang Sixun meticulously working on his sister’s nails. There was something disconcertingly easy about Jiang’s demeanor, as if he never shied away from spending time with her or buying her gifts, regardless of who was around. Xu Heng had slowly grown accustomed to it, though sometimes he felt an inkling of unease, unable to shatter the delicate facade that separated them.

With her nails perfectly trimmed, Xu Zhiyi’s left hand felt almost feverish, perhaps from the warmth of his grip.

“Brother, do you want me to trim your nails?” she asked, glancing at Xu Heng.

Surprised, he raised an eyebrow. In the past, no matter what they did, Xu Zhiyi always prioritized Jiang Sixun, leaving him in second place. For a moment, it had thrown him off balance.

Finally, he thought, it’s nice to see her growing up, realizing just how sincere her biological brother has been all along.

But he replied, “Not right now. Let’s save it for next time. No excuses!”

Jiang Sixun looked at her with a knowing smile, “Aren’t you going to ask if I want my nails done first?”

Xu Heng stepped in to save her, “What are you comparing? I’m her real brother!”

Only then did Xu Zhiyi awkwardly ask, “Should I do yours?”

“Sure.” Jiang Sixun extended his right hand toward her.

As a child, she loved playing with his hands, often doodling on the back of his hand. Back then, he had called her an abstract artist, although her creations resembled random scribbles.

Now, she grasped his long, elegant fingers, feeling like she was holding a masterpiece.

His nails were already neatly trimmed and required no work at all.

She turned to him, noticing he was absorbed in his phone, a single hand typing away on his email, the device resting comfortably on his lap.

Xu Zhiyi called for the housekeeper, asking for a pen.

In a nostalgic gesture, she began to draw on the back of his hand again.

Jiang Sixun was fully aware that his nails didn’t need trimming. He allowed her to doodle, indifferent to her whims, letting her enjoy the moment.

When dinner was ready, her little artwork was also complete.

It was still unclear what it depicted, but beside it, she had written the words: Little Pine Cone.

Jiang Sixun laughed, “I thought it was a bunch of grapes.”

Xu Zhiyi retorted, “……”

She playfully nudged him.

Jiang Sixun seized her hand, holding it firmly, his gaze locking onto hers as he spoke, drawing them into the space between what they currently were and what they could become.

In a moment of intimate conversation, he casually said, “Wash your hands before eating.”

Xu Zhiyi’s heart raced, but she maintained a facade of calmness, replying, “Okay.”

At the dining table, Xu Xiangyi asked about his son, wondering where he planned to take his sister tomorrow.

She had two weeks before her internship officially began and was stuck at home feeling bored. He thought of taking her out to explore, but hadn’t settled on a destination yet.

Xu Heng asked his sister for her input, ready to take some time off to accompany her wherever she wanted to go.

Jiang Sixun chimed in, “You don’t need to take time off. Just send Xu Zhiyi over to my place; I can help her get acquainted with the projects at Yuanwei.” He turned his gaze toward her, “How about getting a head start at my place? It’s not work; you can stay as long as you want.”

Xu Zhiyi graciously declined Xu Heng’s offer, saying, “I should probably use this time to learn more, so I can hit the ground running once I start.” She added, “I can’t even think of where to go; I’ve already done everything fun.”

As a brother, Xu Heng had always been reliable and never pried into her feelings.

“Alright, suit yourself. Just call me whenever you want to go out,” he replied.

The conversation shifted from internships to Jiang Sixun’s marriage prospects.

“I heard from your dad that the old man wants you to marry Ning Yun,” Xu Xiangyi said, treating Jiang Sixun almost like a son and naturally taking an interest in his marriage plans.

At his words, Xu Zhiyi fixed her gaze on the man across from her. She had never heard him mention anything about a marriage arrangement—how had this come about?

Jiang Sixun looked toward Xu Xiangyi, his peripheral vision catching Xu Zhiyi’s expression. He quickly clarified, “I turned it down. There’s no way I’m going through with that.”

Thank goodness for that.

As the meal progressed, Xu Zhiyi felt a pang of guilt. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him again and retreated upstairs to her room once she was done eating.

Jiang Sixun lingered in the living room, chatting with Xu Xiangyi for a while. When the hour grew late, he grabbed his suit and headed upstairs.

“I’m not going home tonight,” he said casually as he ascended the stairs.

He had spent more time here than at his own place; at least five or six months out of the year were spent in this home, leaving him with barely two months at his own.

[Is she mad at me?]

He sent a message to Xu Zhiyi.

Five minutes passed, and still, there was no reply.

Locking the door to his room, Jiang Sixun decided to call her.

Just then, Xu Zhiyi had just finished showering and was drying her hair when she heard her phone ring. Wrapping herself in a towel, she stepped out.

Seeing it was Jiang Sixun calling, she casually swiped to answer.

“I didn’t go on a blind date,” Jiang Sixun got straight to the point. “You told me not to go, so why would I? There’s no way I’m marrying someone else.”

His voice was clear and crisp as he stated the facts, but to Xu Zhiyi’s ears, it dripped with an ambiguous affection that was hard to ignore.

Xu Zhiyi’s mind short-circuited for a few seconds. “When did I ever say that?” She genuinely couldn’t remember.

Jiang Sixun replied, “Don’t worry if you forgot; I remember just fine.”

She was still curious about when she had supposedly said it.

Jiang Sixun helped jog her memory: “Two years ago.”

It was at a family banquet at the Jiang household, the time he had taken her along to dinner. During the meal, their uncle urged his youngest son to start looking for a partner and even arranged a blind date, which had left the fifth brother utterly speechless.

Sitting beside him, Xu Zhiyi had whispered, “You can’t go on blind dates in the future.”

Xu Zhiyi strained to remember. A vague impression surfaced, but the details were fuzzy.

“It’s okay if you don’t remember,” Jiang Sixun said before asking, “Are you still mad at me?”

Xu Zhiyi replied, “…I’m not angry.”

And she truly wasn’t—there was nothing to be upset about.

“Then feel a little better,” he coaxed. “When I start dating, who I date, and when I get married, you can decide.”

Xu Zhiyi was momentarily speechless, her heart racing and her thoughts in disarray.

“You’re really going to listen to me?”

Jiang Sixun chuckled, “Haven’t I always?” He recalled a couple of instances where she wanted them to wear matching outfits when they traveled. So, every time they planned a trip, he’d check what colors she had packed to coordinate his own wardrobe.

They could only see each other during the winter and summer breaks. Once, she had asked him over the phone, “Brother, can you transfer to a school in Shanghai? That way, I could see you every day.”

After that, he had pestered his mother about changing schools.

Eventually, his mother grew exasperated and had Xu’s dad take him away.

Xu Zhiyi found it hard to focus on his voice, drowned out by her own thunderous heartbeat. As he said, he had always catered to her wishes.

She took a deep breath to steady herself, seizing this rare opportunity to clarify her feelings. “I don’t want to be your little sister anymore. I already have a brother.”

“Then we won’t be siblings,” Jiang Sixun said. “I’m coming upstairs to see you now.”

Xu Zhiyi’s heart skipped a beat. Her parents’ room was right next door—he was certainly bold.

“Don’t come up!” she blurted out.

Not only was she worried about her parents discovering them, but she also wasn’t ready to break through that fragile barrier tonight.

“I’m going to sleep,” she said, trying to end the conversation.

Jiang Sixun asked her what time she wanted to wake up tomorrow. “I’ll wake you up.”

Xu Zhiyi secretly wished to see him early the next morning.

“Six thirty.”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Tomorrow is Saturday; you can sleep a little longer.”

Xu Zhiyi insisted, “I want to wake up at six thirty.”

“Alright.” Jiang Sixun always indulged her wishes. “I’ll wake you up at six thirty.”

After hanging up the phone, Xu Zhiyi went to wash her face. Looking in the mirror, she noticed her cheeks were flushed, likely from just taking a shower.

Over the years, her dependence on Jiang Sixun had grown deep. No matter what happened, he was always the first person she thought of. As a child, she would call out for him a hundred times a day, and Jiang Sixun was always patient with her. Wherever he went, she would cling to him, unable to bear being apart for even a moment. Whenever she had something nice, he was the first person she wanted to share it with.

But back then, she was too young to understand love; she just saw him as her brother.

At what point had her feelings shifted from familial affection to something deeper? She couldn’t quite figure it out.

Maybe it was when she got accepted into college.

Or perhaps it had started a little earlier.

Who could say for sure?

The next day, before six o’clock, Xu Xiangyi and He Yi’an set off for the airport, planning to meet friends in Hawaii.

On the way, He Yi’an brought up Jiang Sixun, “Last night at dinner, I swear Sixun looked at Zhiyi no less than eight hundred times.”

Xu Xiangyi noticed too; the signs were all too obvious.

After Jiang Sixun had mentioned the idea of a union, his behavior had become a little peculiar.

He turned to his wife, saying, “It’s best when both parties are in love. Lu Jianbo said once Zhiyi is a bit older, we should let those two settle down.”

Having watched Jiang Sixun grow up, and knowing that Zhiyi had always had a soft spot for her older brother, he was supportive of the match.

Lu Jianbo was the one who most hoped for their union. For seventeen years, both families had celebrated New Year’s Eve together, taking vacations with the kids. With so many people around, Jiang Yueru particularly enjoyed teasing Zhiyi, making their holidays feel longer. Those gatherings had become the highlight of Lu Jianbo’s year.

If Jiang Sixun and Zhiyi ended up together and eventually had children, their annual New Year’s Eve vacations could continue on, becoming the only glimmer of joy in Lu Jianbo’s otherwise mundane life.

He Yi’an was quite pleased with Jiang Sixun as a future son-in-law. Aside from their own family, no one else had shown as much patience with Zhiyi as he did.

She had previously worried that growing up together might mean they wouldn’t develop romantic feelings for each other.

But now it seemed her fears were unfounded.

Xu Xiangyi said, “Let’s just pretend we don’t know anything.”

Meanwhile, in her room, Xu Zhiyi was tossing and turning in bed like a fish on a grill, trying to figure out how to keep her feelings hidden from her parents until after graduation.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated, and Jiang…

Xu Zhiyi’s phone rang.

Snapping back to reality, she reached for her phone on the pillow. In truth, she didn’t even need him to wake her up; she’d been awake since before six.

“Hello?”

Jiang Sixun asked, “Are you still sleeping? If you want to, you can snooze for another half hour.”

Xu Zhiyi sat up. “I’m not sleeping anymore.”

After washing up, she headed to her closet to pick out her outfit for the day. Even though it wasn’t her official internship yet, she wanted to look presentable.

Her mother had prepared several sets of professional attire for her upcoming internship in two weeks, and she chose a deep navy blue ensemble.

With her parents out of the house, only the three of them were having breakfast.

Xu Zhiyi was the last to come downstairs, settling into her usual seat across from her brother and Jiang Sixun.

Jiang Sixun didn’t bother to hide his intentions; he pushed his plate closer to Xu ZhiYi’and stood up to sit beside her, bypassing the dining table entirely.

With such boldness, Xu Xiangyi could hardly pretend not to notice. Because it concerned his sister, he held back his sarcasm toward Jiang Sixun but still didn’t want to make it easy for him. He turned to his sister and said, “I’ll come find you for lunch during your break.”

Jiang Sixun glanced up. “She’s busy; I’m taking her out for lunch.”

Xu Xiangyi replied, “Perfect! We can all eat together.”

“Not perfect.” Jiang Sixun scooped a spoonful of Xu Zhiyi’s favorite corn with pine nuts and offered it to her, looking at her future brother-in-law as he said, “If you’re really that lonely, I can have my dad come keep you company.”

Xu Xiangyi just stared, momentarily speechless.

Given that they weren’t officially dating yet, and noticing his sister’s slight discomfort, he decided to let this one slide for now.

After breakfast, Xu Zhiyi tried her best to soothe her brother’s feelings. She linked arms with him as she walked him to the car, seeing him off until he got inside.

“I’ll have dinner with you tonight,” she promised.

That was all Xu Xiangyi needed to hear. Whether they ate together or not didn’t matter much to him; he had plans with friends that night. “I’ll try to come back early to keep you company.”

“Alright.”

Xu Zhiyi waved goodbye, watching until the car disappeared down the road.

Just then, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around to find Jiang Sixun approaching, holding her bag.

She noticed his outfit more closely this time. She was certain that he’d been wearing a black shirt during breakfast, but now he had changed into a deep blue shirt, matching her own outfit perfectly.

Jiang Sixun opened the passenger door. “Get in.”

He hadn’t called for a driver today; he was driving himself.

As they faced the morning sun, they headed to Yuanwei to put in some extra hours.

Only then did Xu Zhiyi notice that the ink drawing of a pine cone on the back of his hand was still there, though it had faded compared to last night.

“Why haven’t you washed it off?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “It’s the masterpiece of a renowned artist; I can’t bear to wash it away.”

Xu Zhiyi chose to ignore the teasing in the first half of his statement, focusing instead on the latter part. As her brain resumed its normal pace, she recalled, “When I was little, I drew on your hand, and you would wash it off right away.”

Jiang Sixun shrugged. “If I didn’t wash it, you wouldn’t have anywhere to draw.”

Xu Zhiyi smiled, feeling as if her heart were dipped in honey.

As a child, she adored doodling, imagining that one day her artwork would be showcased at an auction.

Once they arrived at the office, Jiang Sixun opened a document for her, encouraging her to familiarize herself with the project details.

Staying late wasn’t the goal; he merely sought a quiet place free from interruptions.

Xu Zhiyi was deeply engrossed in the project, analyzing the data meticulously. When she hit a snag, she called out to Jiang Sixun, “Come here.”

She didn’t even realize the slight lilt of her voice had a hint of a pout.

“Is there something you’re unsure about?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

As he approached, Jiang Sixun leaned over her chair and asked, “Which part?”

Xu Zhiyi gestured to her analysis. “I feel like something’s off, but I can’t quite pinpoint it.”

“You just overlooked a few details. Let’s tweak it.” As he spoke, Jiang Sixun slipped his left arm around her, effectively pulling her close as his hands danced across the keyboard.

As he typed, his arm brushed against hers, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

In his embrace, Xu Zhiyi felt her back stiffen, her mind blanking out for a moment as she couldn’t focus on the words appearing on the screen.

Having grown accustomed to his fresh cedarwood scent, she had once asked him what it was, and he’d replied that it was cedar. She had laughed, saying, “Little squirrels just love cedar.”

Yet, in this moment, she found herself overwhelmed by that very scent.

Minutes slipped by as he continued typing.

Xu Zhiyi was no longer flustered. Steadying her breath, she asked, “Are you done yet?”

“Nope. I’m just typing randomly,” Jiang Sixun replied.

Xu Zhiyi fell silent. Trapped in his embrace, she felt an indescribable sense of security. If he wanted to keep typing, she certainly wouldn’t stop him.

Jiang Sixun leaned down, whispering, “Help me roll up my sleeves.”

Xu Zhiyi unbuttoned his cufflinks and carefully rolled the fabric up twice.

“Aren’t you tired?” she asked, not daring to look back at him.

Jiang Sixun shrugged. “Not really.”

The position of leaning down to type was far from comfortable, but Jiang Sixun managed to endure it.

With their intimacy growing, Xu Zhiyi relaxed, leaning back into his embrace.

Jiang Sixun tightened his arm around her, asking, “Did you see what I typed?”

Xu Zhiyi replied, “…I saw.”

Her heart was racing, but her eyes had not truly been focused.

Jiang Sixun chuckled. “Really?”

This time, Xu Zhiyi looked closer and saw the words “I love you” appear after five lines, followed by another two instances after another five lines.

Someone’s breath hitched, and her chest rose and fell dramatically.

Finally turning to look behind her, she found Jiang Sixun’s lips mere inches away. Their breaths mingled, and she felt that in a heartbeat, they would be kissing.

Jiang Sixun tilted his head slightly, his lips grazing hers. But he paused, and instead, he voiced what he had typed: “I love you. It’s been a long time.” Almost simultaneously, he closed the distance and kissed her.

His kiss and his embrace enveloped her completely.

Xu Zhiyi reached out, gripping his arm, finally finding something to hold onto.

Their kissing position was a little awkward, but Jiang Sixun lifted her, settling her on the edge of the desk.

Instinctively, Xu Zhiyi wrapped her arms around his neck.

Jiang Sixun enveloped her, finding her lips again, kissing her deeply.

Xu Zhiyi clung to his mouth, a habit she’d had since childhood, now amplified by their closeness.

Without needing words, they poured all their affection into each other, exploring and entwining through heated kisses.

In the past, Xu Zhiyi had dreaded the idea of Jiang Sixun dating someone his own age, while Jiang Sixun had worried that she might develop feelings for a classmate. They practically fought for each other’s free time.

Once she entered university, he made it a point to visit her campus daily just to feel at ease.

Xu Zhiyi was breathless from the kisses, and after a moment, they parted slightly.

She brushed her lips against the corner of his mouth and whispered, “Should we hide this from my parents?”

Jiang Sixun responded firmly, “No need to hide.”

Then he captured her lips again in a gentle kiss.

As they continued to embrace and kiss, they completely lost track of time.

(The End)